Leigh school receives funding to mark First World War centenary

PUPILS at a Leigh school will take part in a variety of activities to mark the centenary of the First World War, thanks to a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Gilded Hollins Community Primary School has received £3,300 to deliver a project called ‘Reflecting, remembering and respecting – an opportunity for children to study the First World War’ at the end of June.

The children will visit Hannah Turner, the local and family history officer of WLCT, to plant poppies in Pennington Park and work with graffiti artist Ian Edmondson to produce a collective piece of artwork, which will be displayed at various locations around the borough.

Head teacher Darran Nash said: “We are hoping to bring people together to share stories and learn from each other about the First World War and how this has affected and shaped our local area and all our lives.

“We want the children and communities to learn about the past and understand how historic events have shaped our lives.

“The children will gain invaluable skills, including online and paper research.

“Art skills will be developed and gardening skills, as our project includes planting poppies.”

The pupils will also study books and artefacts loaned from the School Library Service, and work with clay artist Brian Rollins.

Veterans will visit the school to speak to the children and the week will end with the school holding a community party, where the children will put on a display of the dances and songs that were popular during the war years.

Mr Nash added: “We want the children to be stimulated in different ways and we want them to express what they’ve learned through writing, recording, and producing various pieces of artwork, which will then be shared with family, friends and members of the community.”